Mt. Carmel Stealing Leo`s Hype

December 06, 1991|By Bob Sakamoto.

When teenage basketball players start believing everything they read, it usually spells trouble.

And Leo`s players-inundated with preseason hype-took it all to heart. Before a single jumper had been launched, the Lions were being hailed as the kings of the Catholic League jungle. Forward Ric Johnson was supposed to be the league`s premier player. Point guard Charles Hudson and center Noah O`Daniel were considered among the 10 best players in the Chicago area at their positions.

Why, all five starters are back from last year`s 16-10 team, so what`s there to worry about?

``Losing to Quincy in our first game was a real kick in the pants for our kids,`` Fitzgerald said. ``It brought them back to earth. Now, we`re not shooting the ball well and we`re having a hard time regrouping. But, we`d better by Friday.``

Otherwise, Leo (2-1) could be entirely susceptible to a heaping helping of what Caravan coach Paul Rybarczyk calls ``Carmel hospitality.``

Walker is averaging 19 points a game and came away with 24 points and 12 rebounds against a good Providence team while holding down Celtics star Charles Jones defensively.

``People are always saying we have the best sophomore in the state,``

Rybarczyk said. ``He`s handling it all well and we`re happy with him. We don`t try to build him up.``

As a 6-4 8th grader, Walker was already attracting attention and letters from colleges. Several coaches have stopped in during the Dec. 1-11 visitation period to observe him working out.

Walker is as close as it gets to a ``sure`` starter in Rybarczyk`s equal- opportunity system. Last season he used 20 different starting lineups, and the coach won`t hesitate to insert a hot shooter or someone who has excelled in practices during the week.

For now, Walker is joined by 6-4 rebounder DeRon Holmes, point guard Rich Jones (15 points per game), 6-3 Troy Bowie (12 points) and guard Brian Wagner. But 6-6 junior Jeff Zikas, 6-5 sophomore Willie Jones and 6-4 junior Cartez Orr rack up playing time and are likely to start at anytime.

``I`ve always believed in using different people,`` Rybarczyk said. ``I try playing up to 10 kids regularly. Practices become more competitive when your starting lineup is unpredictable. No one can assume they have a starting position all locked up.``

Leo is hoping to unlock whatever has the Lions handcuffed to this slow start. In addition to the 6-6 O`Daniel, 6-2 Johnson and Hudson, Fitzgerald will rely on 6-2 guard Roy Burse and 6-3 forward Kolbi Crittenden.

``We`re not that big, so it`s important to us that Noah play most of the game,`` Fitzgerald said. ``He got into early foul trouble against Quincy`s 6-9 Tom Lepper.

``These kids aren`t used to 20-win seasons, and I guess they thought one was being handed to them.``

Fitzgerald knows what to expect Friday night. Mt. Carmel`s gym will be bathed in the victorious afterglow of the football team`s Class 5A state championship last Saturday. Most of those who follow Caravan sports also know Leo is No. 9 in the Tribune rankings while Mt. Carmel is No. 11.

``Mt. Carmel has whipped us the last two years pretty much on their emotional play,`` Fitzgerald said. ``We`ve got to find a way to match their emotion. They have an up-tempo game, and it really looks like they`re having fun out there. They get you to play in a playground game. We`d like to keep everything under control.``